Overactive Bladder (OAB) is a condition affecting millions of people. Symptoms include uncontrollable urges to urinate and incontinence. Frequent and sudden urges to urinate can negatively impact quality of life in those affected by the disorder.
Current treatment of OAB includes lifestyle changes including fluid restriction, avoidance of caffeine, and pelvic floor muscle exercise. Medications can also treat some symptoms of OAB but are only moderately effective. Surgical procedures have also been used including botox injections or electrical stimulation of the bladder, but the long-term effectiveness of these treatments is unknown.
It is postulated that OAB is caused by increased connectivity and excitability of both detrusor smooth muscle and nerves. Increased excitability and connectivity of nerves involved in micturition rely on growth factors that orchestrate neural plasticity. Neurotransmitters, prostaglandins, and growth factors, such as nerve growth factor, provide mechanisms for bidirectional communication between muscle or urothelium and nerve, leading to OAB with or without urge incontinence.